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Metta World Peace says he won’t wear tape on finger in Lakers-Clippers game

Long after practice ended on Tuesday, Lakers forward Metta World Peace kept shooting jumpers. He usually keeps this habit both on the good and bad shooting streaks. But there was something different about his routine this time around.

World Peace was wearing purple-colored tape around his middle finger of his right hand. The Lakers training staff wrapped that around World Peace as a precautionary measure after he dislocated the finger during the team’s pre-season loss Sunday to the Sacramento Kings. But Laker fans shouldn’t expect World Peace to see his bandaged digit when the team plays the Clippers Wednesday in a preseason game.

“I’m not playing with it,” World Peace said Tuesday after practice at the Lakers’ facility in El Segundo. “Some injuries heal in a day or a week. But this will be off by tomorrow.”

In the Lakers’ 99-92 preseason loss Sunday to the Sacramento Kings, World Peace hurt his finger after swiping the ball away from Kings center DeMarcus Cousins as he drove the lane less than three minutes remaining. World Peace played through the injury and got his finger taped afterwards.

Still, Lakers Coach Mike Brown admitted feeling queasy after seeing World Peace’s damaged digit. Not the Lakers forward, who’s used to play with dings, cuts and scrapes all over his body.

Whatever. You play. It’s all about basketball. It’s not about being hurt or anything else. When you’re out there on the court, you’re not thinking about any ankle twist or elbow sprain. You’re just thinking about playing basketball and doing your job.

That’s why World Peace said the extra padding did nothing to affect his marksmanship or force him to change his shooting stroke. He also said he refused to wear a splint to support the finger for one simple reason.

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